Seniors in EKU's Honors Program participate in a faculty mentored process that demonstrates the students' ability to locate, evaluate, analyze and synthesize information, in an ethical manner, in order to produce meaningful scholarship. The Honors Senior Thesis, typically a capstone paper or creative project, is the culmination of this process.
Honors Theses from 2021
Making the Comeback from Combat: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy for Combat Veterans, Julia A. Hickey
Opioids in Appalachia: Finding a Curative Path, Andrew B. Johnson
To Lip Read Or Not To Lip Read, Anna Kluesener
It’s All About the Ferns: A Literature Review of Species Concepts Referenced in New Pteridophyte Species Described Since 1989, Nicholas A. Koenig
Peeling Off the Proof: Using Peel-Away Polymer Technology in the Collection of Ignitable Liquids During Arson Investigations, Cassidy Laney
Pollinator Gardens and Their Significance, Emma Lee
Nurses' Perceptions of Person-Centered Care in Long-Term Care, Sophia A. Lefevers
Controversial Intelligence Gathering: Deciphering the Actions of the U.S. Intelligence Community to the Public, Rachel E. Lehkamp
Healing Through Play: Relieving Anxieties Caused by Stressors Faced When a Child is in Need of Medical Care, Lilia G. Lorenz
What College Recruiters Don’t Tell You and What You Need to Know During COVID-19, Alyia K. Maulden
Barriers to Identifying Domestic Violence Victims in the Emergency Department: A Nurse’s Perspective, Jordan M. McDaniel
Who I Am and Who I Used to Be, Madelyn McKnight
Crime: An EKU History, Kaitlyn R. Miracle
The Nature of Grief, Emily Montgomery
Shy or Anxious? Examining the Efficacy of School-Based Interventions for Childhood Social Anxiety, Samantha Neuhaus
The Toll of Our New Reality: Analyzing College Students’ Health in a Pandemic & Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccinations, Ciara M. Ochoa
Factors that Influence the Choice to Major in STEM for Latino and non-Latino Students and Professionals, Ivan Olivas
Maintaining Patient Autonomy: Treatment of Disorders of Sexual Development, Bethany A. Orr
The Effects of Technology on the Nursing Process, Olivia Partin
E.T.A. Hoffman: The Creative Influencer of Romantic Music, Lucas J. Reed
Laughing Through Trauma: Healing or Deflecting?, Katelyn Richardson
The School-to-Prison Pipeline & Its Sustainability: How Violent Video Games perpetuate School Violence in the 21st Century, Michael Roberts
Meat, Masks, and Medicine: COVID-19's Impact on Supply Chains, Autumn Robinson
Making A Sexual Murderer: Developmental Theories and Generalization, Kyra Rogers
Instagramming Injustice: Social Media as a Platform for Victim Concerns about Sexual Assault on University Campuses, Alayna Ross
Community Banks Navigate FinTech Partnerships: Enhancing the Customer Experience while Mitigating Risks Involved, Taylor Ross
Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccines Among College Students, Sydney R. Shepherd
Exploring Mental Health & COVID-19: How a Pandemic Could Become America's Next Mental Health Crisis, Ashley D. Shofner
Effectiveness of Treatment: Understanding Which Variables Influence the Effectiveness of Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexandra N. Sievert
“Don’t Make Me Go to the Hospital”: Anxiety Reactions Among Patients Receiving Medical Care, Megan Sizemore
Classical String Quartet: A Transformation to Vocal Jazz, Victoria B. Sizemore
A Case for Literacy: New Hope for Northern Nigeria Through Western Teaching Strategies, Jenna G. Smith
Filmdemic: An Exploration of How COVID-19 Has Changed Student Short Film Production Standards & Processes – Process Statement, Josiah Stendel
Diagnosing a Princess: How Portrayals of Mental Illness in Disney Princesses May Influence Children, Hannah Tanner
The Challenge of Mobile Forensics: Keeping up with the Changes in Mobile Devices, Darius Thomas
Voting Behavior of Southern and Non-Southern Evangelicals, Joshua D. Thomasson
Prescriptivism, Privilege, and Power: How Standard Language Education Empowers and Devalues Learners, Kaitlyn A. VanWay
First-Year Student Orientation Programming: Managing the First and Lasting Impression, Lindsay Volpenhein
Who is in Power and How it Affects Your Taxes, Martin A. Watts
Examining Two Perspectives on Kindergarten Readiness, Chloe Weddington
Developmental Disabilities in Children's Literature: A Creative Project, Alexandra Wertz
What’s in an ACE: The Role of ACE2 in COVID-19’s Tissue Damaging Effects, Christian White
A Study on Healthcare Barriers for Latinos in the United States, Meagan Wilson
Like Biological Clockwork: Time Judgements in Musicians and Non-musicians, Brooklyn Yates
Honors Theses from 2020
Goodbye, Team Basketball: How Superstar Athletes Affect Their Teams’ Retail Success in the NBA, Ryan J. Anglin
The Ultimate Accounting Need: A Universal Set of Accounting Standards, Joshua Cole Bailey
Chronic Illnesses: The Emotion Felt by the Children and Their Families, Abigail S. Barks
Silence is Deafening: Signing vs. Non-signing in the Home and the Impact on Mental Health in the Deaf Community, Holly A. Blades
Evolution of Yahweh: The Changing Interpretation of the Hebrew God Over Time Based on the Stories of the Old Testament, Flynn C. Blanchet
Forget 37 Weeks....Go the Full 40: Improving Maternal and Fetal Outcomes, Dara B. Bockrath
Making and Characterizing Semiconducting Polymer for Organic Electronics, Jessica Bone
"Relentless": The Social Identity of Chronic Illness and Disability, Mary Boujaoude
Boundary Value Problems at Resonance, Justin T. Bowman
A Study of Screen Time and Development in Elementary-Aged Children, Jacquelynn Brian
At Face Value: Factors that Affect the Same Race Bias, Nathaniel A. Britt
"Skin Cancer Types and the Effectiveness of Mohs Surgery Against Them", Andrew M. Brockman
Search for Antibiotic-Producing Microorganisms in Sites Affected by Acid Mine Drainage, Hannah A. Bussell
Lyme Disease in Kentucky: Prevalence, Awareness, and Diagnosis in a Conventionally Low-Endemic Area, Rachel L. Carden OTS
Beyond the Veil of Ignorance: An Analysis of Global Regulations for Assisted Suicide and the Guided Next Steps for America, Abigail B. Coogan
Magnitudes of Effects of Recovery Methodology in the 21st Century, Hannah Cook
The Creation of Nona: A Look at Fantasy Literature, Real Life Trauma, and World-Building, Collin P. Davis
Raising Awareness: Creating a Children’s Book to Reveal the Responsibilities and Cultural Values of Latino/a Children, Edith Del Moral
The Question of Authenticity and the Costs of Cultural Tourism in Peru, Welsy V. Discua
Diversity in Children’s Literature: Gender Identity in the Elementary Classroom, Madeline J. Doolin
The Relationship between Autism and the Multiple Intelligences Theory: Identifying Patterns in Learning for Educational Purposes, Rhiannon M. Duvall
The Effects of Cognitive Training on Neurodegenerative Disease: A Proposed Study, Mark E. Dvornak
Hormones and Your Self-Definition, Allison Dyas
Echoes: Film Noir in the Contemporary Setting, Ahjani Evans
Depression and Mental Health Concerns in the Geriatric Community, William Feltner
The Case for Antonio: A Queer Voice Silenced by Prejudice, Jami Fisher
Quantification of Neurite Degeneration through use of an Optimized and Automated Method, Lauren Fuller
Could the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor p75NTR Help Unlock the Mysteries of Infertility?, Mayci Fullmer
Orff Schulwerk and Autism: Unlocking the Gifts of Students with Autism in the Music Classroom through Orff Schulwerk, McKenzie E. Garrett
Madame Bovary Syndrome: The Female Protagonist's Plight, Audrey C. Giesler
Systematic Review of Integrating Care to Improve Quality of Life Within Chronically Diseased Patients with Mental Illness, Brooke R. Goble
Surviving Cancer is not the end of the story: Effects of Chemotherapy on Heart Function., Jacey S. Griffith
Music From the Dark and Silence: Incorporating Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Visually Impaired Students into the Music Education Classroom, Emily Grindstaff
Writing Systems as a Reflection of Ancient Societies, Sarah M. Gripshover
The Comic Book Conundrum: Defining Comic Books as a Literary Genre, Dylan C. Guffey
A Bigger Pond: The Mental Health of Honors Students, Austin E. Hacker
The Cost of Healthy Living: Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Crime, Max Hargett
Tax Administration Characteristics’ Impact on Taxpayers’ Perception and Compliance, Kelsie Head
Incorporating Diverse Literature Into the Middle Grades Classroom, Katheryn A. Heinrich
Bringing the Indie Music Scene to Lexington, KY: A Marketing Research Plan, Randall Heite
Gender Through Generations: How Gender Stereotypes and the Portrayal of Women in Children’s Literature Has Changed Over Time, Abigail Hester
The Relationship Between Gut Microbiota Diversity, Body Weight, and Plant-Based Dietary Patterns, Hannah Hillard
The Effects of Yoga on Balance for Elementary School Aged Children Receiving Occupational Therapy, Amelia J. Hunley
Developing a Paradigm for the Measurement of Cortisol, Megan N. Hurley
You’re Feeding Your Dog What? An Investigation into the Dog Food Industry, It’s Recalls, and The Market, Madison Hutchens
"Foreign" Language: Examining systemic attitudes, xenophobia, and foreign language anxiety, Olivia Jennings
The Extraction of Bovine DNA From Dermestid Beetles, Lucy Jones
Preserving a Heritage: Clog Dancing in Appalachia, Lacy Justice
Negative Perception of Generic versus Name Brand Pharmaceuticals, Rebecca Kavalauskas
Slipping Through the Cracks: Addressing Mental Health Needs of Students in the K-12 Classroom, Emily H. Kerr
Explaining the Role of Social Media in Political Polarization, Sarah King
The Shifting Imagery of St. Alexander Nevsky and Tsar Ivan IV and Their Implications for Russian and Soviet Culture Thirteenth to Twenty-First Centuries, John P. Kinnett
